The present invention generally relates to disc mowers or rotary mowers having a cutter bar composed of a plurality of assembled segments or units, as well as to a method of assembling same and partially disassembling same for efficient repair or replacement of component parts. More particularly, the invention relates to a rotary mowing apparatus including a cutter bar assembly having a plurality of rotary cutter units mounted in a generally alternating manner with respect to a plurality of spacer units, each adjacent pair of cutter units and spacer units being secured together at their respective leading edge portions and at their respective trailing edge portions by a plurality of securement assemblies. A drive shaft is threaded through the assembled segments and is in driving engagement with each of the rotary cutter units.
In the past, various disc mower or rotary mower devices have been provided or proposed for use in cutting foliage. Such cutting can be carried out in order to harvest the foliage into a form suitable for baling or the like. Such devices can also be used in order to simply cut foliage so as to enhance the appearance of landscaping or to control undesirable growth. Other disc mower devices include conditioning rolls for breaking cut foliage in order to accelerate drying thereof.
Some such disc mower or rotary mower devices incorporate internal oil baths or the like for providing lubrication to moving parts such as gear trains and the like. These types of devices are not particularly suitable for use in mowing terrains that are not substantially horizontal because the oil bath, in seeking its lowest level, will tend to drain from drive components and the like that are elevated with respect to the remainder of the device, thereby exposing the thus improperly lubricated components to excessive wear and possible breakage. This situation would tend to occur for these types of devices when cutting a hillside, a drainage ditch or the like.
Other mower units have been provided or proposed which include sealed lubrication compartments for assemblies in need of lubrication, such as rotary unit drive gears. Also, in some such devices, lubricants of high viscosities such as greases are utilized, rather than lubricating oils which are more likely to flow. Some such devices are assembled in a manner that requires the disassembly of numerous component parts in order to repair or replace a part that is, for example, not at an end of the cutter bar assembly. In this regard, some disc mower cutter bars include elongated beams around which the cutter assemblies are mounted. Others incorporate an elongated gang bolt or the like around which the cutter assemblies are positioned. In most of these arrangements, if it is desired to, for example, repair a cutter assembly near the center of cutter bar, it is necessary to remove one or more other cutter assemblies from the beam or gang bolt or the like in order to obtain access to the cutter assembly in need of repair or replacement. And, of course, after such repair or replacement has been completed, reassembly of at least all of the removed cutting assemblies and other removed components is necessary. Often, during these repair operations, other cutter assemblies or components also become improperly oriented or loosened from their in-use assembled condition so as to require adjustment and/or reassembly of these further components as well.
Shortcomings and disadvantages of these types are advantageously responded to according to the present invention, which provides a plurality of rotary cutter units, each of which can be of a type in which viscous lubricating materials are sealed therewithin to protect internal components. Each such rotary cutter unit is mounted in substantial in-line relationship with the other rotary cutter units. Spacer units are interposed between otherwise adjacent rotary cutter units so that rotary cutter units and spacer units are mounted in a successive and generally alternating manner. Assembly of adjacent ones of these components is accomplished by a pair of securement members, one generally at a leading edge portion and the other at a generally trailing edge portion of the cutter bar assembly. A plurality of these pairs of leading edge portion and trailing edge portion securement members are then provided along the length of the cutter bar. In this manner, a single pair of securement members can be removed in order to gain access to a particular rotary cutter unit for repair or replacement thereof without having to remove securement members of other rotary cutter units and without having to otherwise disassemble the cutter bar.
It is accordingly a general object of the present invention to provide an improved rotary mowing apparatus and a method for assembling same and partially disassembling same for repairs or the like.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved rotary mowing apparatus that operates efficiently and safely on flat or on hilly terrain.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for making same, which apparatus has component rotary cutter units that are individually removable from the cutter bar.
Another object of this invention is to provide a disc or rotary mowing apparatus and method for making same, which apparatus can be varied in length by adding or removing rotary cutter units and/or spacer units from the cutter bar.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved rotary mowing device having a plurality of rotary cutter units mounted in substantial in-line relationship with each other, which rotary cutter units include a blade carrier that is mounted in a simplified manner and that mounts the blades so as to permit their full-circle rotation when deflected during use.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.